UNIVERSITY  OF  MASSACHUSETTS 
AT  AMHERST 


UNIVERSITY  LIBRARY 

Special  Collections  &  Rare  Books 


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GHAf^LES  W,  EDDY,  WARE,  MASS, 

1 886. 


^WAF^E  ILLUSTf^ATED.^ 

SECOND  VOLUME. 


J^N  presenting  this  our  second  volume  of  Ware  Illustrated,  we  regret  that  we  are  not  able  to  give 
^  >lustrationsofseveralimportant  buildings,  public  and  private,  that  are  in  process  of  erection. 
But  Ware  is  growing  so  rapidly  that  to  make  a  book  of  this  kind  stricdy  up  to  the  tim-es  would 
require  a  new  edition  every  few  months. 

Since  the  first  volume  was  issued,  three  years  ago.  there  have  been  new  dwellings  containing 
about  one  hundred  tenements  erected.  The  Village  Improvement  Societv  has  put  in  more  than  a 
mile  ot  concrete  walks  :  the  corporations  have  all  added  new  buildings  to  their  plants,  great! v  increas- 
ing tiieir  valuation.      Other  improvements  are  noticed  in  their  appropriate  places  in  thi^  w^ork 


IVcfrr.  Dcmiihrr,  1886. 


THE   PUBLISHER. 


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TOWN  HALL, 


[■ARE  has  reason  to  be,  and  no  doubt  is  proud  of  her  new  Town  Hall,  erected  in  1885-6  at  a 
cost  of  forty  thousand  dollars,  and  dedicated  November  nth,  1886. 

The  main  hall  is  capable  of  seating  comfortably  seven  hundred  and  sixty-seven — two  hundred 
and  nineteen  of  these  being  in  the  gallery.  The  finish  and  coloring  are  in  fine  taste,  giving  a  rich 
and  elegant  appearance  seldom  seen  in  a  building  of  this  kind.  There  is  a  large  stage,  with 
convenient  dressing  rooms  and  a  fine  set  of  scenerv. 

In  the  basement  are  rooms  for  the  officers  of  the  town,  a  fireproof  vault,  the  District  Court  room, 
lock-up,  toilet  rooms  and  boiler  rooms,  the  whole  building  being  heated  by  steam. 

The  building  committee,  under  whose  direction  this  edifice  was  erected,  were  Charles  D.  Gilbert, 
Charles  E.  Stevens,  Piiilip  L.  Keefe,  William  C.  Eaton,  Frederick  D.  Gilmore;  architects,  Hartwell 
&  Richardson  of  Boston  ;  builder.  Herbert  P.  Cummings  of  Ware. 


V|ritiiliikii|iiliiiifiiiiiiiiia[||ii|ii|ii||*|ii|iiiiiiHiTiiiiiii|'i1|i'iiYiiniliililiill'i'r  ■    i    ■    ■    ■    |Mfii|)|iuiiI|ifaui>[|OiMlniii|n|T!|iiitiiiTinFTT^I 


MAIN  STF^EET. 


AIN  STREET  from  the  west  presents  a  much  improved  appearance  in  the  past  few  years. 
The  block  at  the  right,  erected  in  1880  by  Levi  W.  Robinson,  adding  its  full  share  to  this 
effect.  As  there  seems  to  be  no  other  direction  in  which  trade  can  go  it  is  working  westward  as  fast 
as  good  business  blocks  are  erected.  We  do  not  need  to  enumerate  the  business  carried  on  here,  as 
the  signs  speak  for  themselves.     The  block  is  now  owned  by  C.  Hitchcock. 

The  stores  in  the  next  three  blocks  have  all.  but  one.  changed  hands  within  the  past  year. 


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NORTH  STF^EET  60f^NER. 


^^ORTH  STREET  corner  and  vicinity  have  greatly  changed  in  the  past  few  years.  This  block, 
(^^  built  by  John  H.  Storrs  in  1880-1,  contains  with  a  one-story  addition  in  the  rear,  five  commo- 
dious stores.  In  the  second  story  are  several  othces  and  the  rooms  occupied  by  the  two  Ware  bands. 
A  few  rods  to  the  lelt  of  what  is  shown  in  this  picture,  partially  on  the  site  of  the  old  hotel  barn, 
John  H.  Storrs  has  now  in  process  of  erection  his  new  hotel,  which  promises  to  be  by  far  the  finest 
business  block  in  town.  On  the  first  floor  are  three  stores  besides  the  hotel  office,  with  plate  glass 
windows  and  all  modern  conveniences.  The  block  is  three  stories  high  with  circular  towers  at  each 
end.     The  front  is  to  be  of  Philadelphia  pressed  brick,  granite  trimmings  and  iron  balcony. 


■  H|TT[IT||I|<H     I    I     ■     I     I     I     I     I     |l'|litli|l:|l!|i!|<||l<||i|l>|i<|;i||,|i,|i!iii|M|n||l|i||i'|ll||||llill|l{|ll|ll|llll|III|ll|ll|ll|ll|>l|ll|ll|l>|lllll|ll|ll|I'l"l     I     I     f     I     ■     I     I     I   '<     I     I     I    I'  )     •    I'   • 


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WARE  NATIONAL  BANK. 


Tfl^HE  Ware  National  Bank  building  was  erected  for  the  Hampshire  Manufacturers' Bank  in  1825, 
Q>^  which  was  incorporated  in  February  of  the  same  year  with  a  capital  of  one  hundred  thousand 
dollars.  It  was  changed  to  the  Ware  National  Bank  in  December,  1864,  '^^^'^  ^'^^  '^^^  '*  capital  of 
throe  hundred  thousand  dollars.  William  Hyde  has  been  connected  with  the  bank  either  as  cashier 
or  president  for  fiftv-three  years. 

The  Savings  Bank  building,  designed  expressly  for  banking  purposes,  was  erected  in  1881. 
The  Savings  bank  was  organized  in  1850.  The  number  of  depositors  now  are  live  thousand  two 
hundred  and  eighty-six,  their  deposits  amounting  to  two  million  four  hundred  and  twentj'  four 
thousand  five  hundred  and  ninetv-tive  dollars.  Willi.am  Hyde  has  been  president  of  the  bank  since 
its  organization.     Frederick  D.  Gilmore  was  elected  treasurer  December,  1885. 

The  building  at  the  left,  twent\'  bv  fiftv-six  feet,  was  erected  in  1883. 


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HAMPSH^E  HOUSE  &  MUSIG  HALL, 


^TiAMPSHIRE  HOUSE  block,  with  Music  Hall  block  in  the  rear  and  other  buildings  connected, 
(^Js)  occupies  about  eighty-five  feet  on  Main  street  and  two  hundred  and  twenty-five  feet  on  Bank 
street,  and  was  built  by  Joseph  Hartwell  in  1867,  since  which  time  the  Post  Otlice  has  occupied  the 
store  at  the  east  end. 

The  first  hotel  ever  in  town  was  built  on  this  site  in  1730.  The  first  town  meeting  was  held  in 
this  house  in  1742. 

Next  to  the  Hampshire  House  on  the  right  is  one  of  the  oldest  business  blocks  in  town.  At  the 
left  is  seen  the  French  Catholic  Church,  built  in  1872. 


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LIBf{A!^Y  AND  0HAPEL, 


TIT* HE  Library  building  of  the  Young  Men's  Library'  Association,  which  was  incorporated  in  1872, 
(^^  was  dedicated  July  19th,  1881.  It  is  built  of  brick  laid  in  red  mortar,  the  trimmings  being 
of  Portland  brown  stone  and  Philadelphia  moulded  brick  ;  the  steps  and  buttress  are  Fitzwilliam 
granite.  The  basement  under  the  whole  front  is  finished  for  a  reading  room.  The  book  room  has  a 
capacity  tor  tvventy-tiv^e  thousand  volumes.  It  is  finished  in  brown  ash  with  galleries  on  the  front  and 
east  side.  On  the  left  of  the  entrance  is  a  natural  iiistory  room,  where  there  is  a  fine  collection  of 
mounted  bird^s  of  this  locality,  and  a  large  variety  of  other  curiosities. 

Next  to  this  building  is  the  chapel  of  the  East  Congregational  Society,  built  in   1881   and  dedi- 
cated January  ist,  1882.     It  is  a  model  of  neatness  and  convenience. 


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HIGH  S0HOOL  BUILDING. 


TIT*' HE  first  action  of  this  town  upon  the  subject  of"  schools  as  appears  bj'  the  records  was  in  Janu- 
1^^  ar3^  1757.  In  1762  "Voted  to  Raise  twelve  pounds  for  Skoling.  Voted  that  Eatch  Qiiarter 
shall  skool  out  there  part  within  the  year  or  be  forfit."  In  1850  a  grammar  school  was  established, 
and  in  1853  the  high  school  was  established  and  kept  in  the  town  hall  building,  until  it  was  burned  in 
1867,  except  the  fall  terms  wlych  were  held  for  some  years  at  Ware  Center. 

The  present  high  school  building  was  erected  in  1848  and  rebuilt  in  1869  at  a  cost  of  live  thou- 
sand seven  hiindred  and  sixty-one  dollars. 

There  are  now  twenty-four  schools  in  town,  eighteen  of  them  in  the  village,  employing  twenty- 
six  teachers  with  about  nine  hundred  pupils. 


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Gf^AY'S  BLOGK. 


RxWS  BLOCK,  situated  on  the  west  side  of  Nenemeseck  Square  was  built  in   1884,  and  is 
one  of  the  most  substantial,  well  built  blocks  in  town.     On  the  first  floor  there  are  two  commo- 
dious stores,  with   a  basement  running  across  the  south  side  of  the  building.     The  second  storj'  is 
finished  for  otlices,  society  rooms,  etc.,  while  in  the  third  story  are  four  tenements. 


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NENAMESEGK  PARK, 


'HIS  little  park  although  small,  being  but  about  one  hundred  feet  long  and  fifty  wide,  is  a  thing 
of  beauty  and  a  joy  to  the  hundreds  whose  eyes  rest  upon  it  daily.  In  the  very  heart  of  the 
business  of  the  town,  with  its  grateful  shade  and  sparkling  fountain,  it  is  a  refreshing  spot.  The  trees 
were  set  out  and  the  fence  and  fountain  placed  here  probably  in  1856,  as  we  find  on  the  records  of  a 
town  meeting  November  6th.  1855,  "It  was  voted  that  the  Village  Improvement  Association  do  make 
such  impro\'ements  under  the  direction  and  advice  of  the  selectmen  as  shall  be  deemed  proper  by 
them."  ■  The  work  was  accomplished  bv  subscription  through  the  agency  of  the  association.  In  1882 
the  curbing  and  concrete  walk  were  put  around  the  park. 


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THE  OTIS  60MPANY. 


^I[*HE  Otis  Company  was  organized  in  1839,  ^""^^  incorporated  in  1840  witli  a  capital  of  $500,000. 
(^  At  that  time  the  employes  of  the  company  numbered  211,  their  monthly  earnings  averaging 
about  $2,665.  The  average  monthly  product  was  about  62,000  yards  of  drills,  sheetings  and  jeans. 
At  present  the  company  have  in  their  two  weaving  mills  at  Ware  20,736  spindles,  and  662  looms, 
producing  daily  31,000  yards  of  checks,  denims  and  stripes.  Including  the  underwear  mill  there  are 
32,752  spindles  in  operation,  giving  employment  to  about  1,450  hands,  with  a  weekly  pay  roll  of  $9,000. 

In  1865  the  company  introduced  the  manufacture  of  cotton  hosierv.  and  began  bv  producing 
about  300  dozens  of  white  stockings  per  day  ;  in  later  j'ears  colors  were  introduced,  and  especially  a 
line  of  women's  and  men's  underwear,  until  in  1886  thev  have  reached  a  dailv  product  of  650  dozens 
of  underwear  in  bleached,  fancies,  and  lisle-thread,  and  185  dozens  of  hose  and  half-hose,  from 
about  1. 000  heads  of  knitting  machines. 

The  Palmer  Mill  property  at  Three  Rivers  is  also  a  part  of  the  Otis  Companv's  plant. 


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ABOVE  EAST  ST!{EET  BRIDGE, 


S^[|^OOKING  North  from  the  East  street  bridge  the  scenery  is  most  picturesque.  On  the  right 
(_^  the  old  canal  with  its  rustic  bridge,  in  the  center  the  rocky  island  on  the  east  bank  of  the 
river,  while  at  the  left  the  water  comes  pouring  over  the  dam  and  rushing  down  the  rough  river  bed, 
falling  seventy  teet  in  going  as  many  rods. 

The  dam  which  holds  in  reserve  the  great  water  power  of  the  town  was  built  in  1880  and  is  fifty 
feet  further  down  stream  than  the  old  one.  The  area  of  water  caused  by  this  dam  covers  about  one 
hundred  and  thirty-six  acres  and  extends  up  the  river  nearly  two  miles,  furnishing  a  fine  place  for 
pleasure  boating. 


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THE  GEOf^GE  H,  GILBERT  MFG,  00, 


'HIS  corporation,  unlike  most  manufacturing  concerns,  has  its  headquarters  at  its  factories,  and 
not  at  the  great  commercial  centers.  The  office  of  the  company,  erected  in  1885,  is  a  model  of 
good  taste  and  judgment  in  the  beauty  of  design  and  elegance  of  tinish,  as  well  as  in  its  convenience. 
The  hall  vestibule  and  rear  othce  are  finished  in  black  walnut  with  sheathing  of  the  same  surmounted 
by  an  ornate  border  of  Lincrusta  Walton,  while  the  walls  and  ceilings  are  decorated  in  dark  oil 
shades.  In  the  front  of  the  building  is  the  room  occupied  bv  the  officers  of  the  corporation.  This 
room  is  finished  in  gray  oak,  with  heavy  paneled  ceilings  of  the  same,  while  an  elaborate  carved  tire- 
place  produces  a  homelike  etiect.  The  gem  of  the  building  is  a  small  private  reception  room  opening 
from  the  front  office.  This  is  finished  in  cherrv,  with  a  floor  of  polished  birch  inlaid  with  a  great 
variety  of  choice  woods.     In  the  second  storv    are  the  pattern  and  draughting  rooms. 


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SUMMER  S0ENE, 


^^ARE  abounds  with  picturesque  beautj-  throughout  the  whole  length  and  breadth  of  the  town. 
SroA  The  rugged  hills  on  the  east,  the  quiet  valleys,  the  beautiful  drives  beside  the  still  waters  and 
the  ever  varied  landscape  are  sources  of  interest  and  joy  to  every  beholder. 

In  this  picture  there  is  perhaps  no  more  of  beauty  than  may  be  found  in  hundreds  of  places  with- 
in the  borders  of  the  town,  but  this  will  serve  as  a  hint  of  the  many  lovely  spots  that  are  all  about  us. 


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0HAf{LES  A,  STEVENS  &  00, 


|_||*HE  original  mill  of  this  company  was  purchased  of  the  assignees  of  the  Hampshire  Manufac- 
i^^  taring  Company  in  1841  by  Gilbert  &  Stevens.  Upon  the  dissolution  of  the  firm  in  185 1 
Charles  A.  Stevens  took  the  old  mill  and  added  another  story  and  about  seventy  feet  in  length.  The 
original  portion  of  the  old  mill  was  built  in  1825.  It  now  contains  twelve  sets  of  woolen  machinery, 
ninety  broad  looms  and  is  producing  white  and  opera  flannels  and  ladies'  dress  goods. 

In  January,  1S72,  Mr.  Stevens  associated  with  himself  under  the  firm  name  of  Charles  A. 
Stevens  &  Co.,  his  son.  Charles  E.  Stevens.     They  employ  about  one  hundred  and  seventy-five  hands. 

In  April,  1885.  the  building  near  the  bridge  was  destroyed  by  fire,  and  in  its  place  has  been 
erected  a  substantial  brick  building,  forty  by  eighty  feet,  three  stories  high.  It  is  used  for  a  wool 
house  and  machine  shop. 


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THE  LOVEf^'S  LEA 


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/J\NE  of  the  finest  gems  of  scenery  to  be  found  is  situated  just  back  of  the  residence  of  Charles  A. 
'O^  Stevens,  perhaps  best  seen  as  a  whole  from  across  the  river  near  the  finishing  department  of 
the  Otis  Company,  and  is  seen  by  hundreds    who  daily  pass  to  their  work. 

The  projecting  ledge  that  turns  the  course  of  the  river  at  this  point  is  called  the  Lover's  Leap 
from  the  romantic  legend  concerning  the  attempted  suicide  of  a  young  lady  whose  parents  objected 
to  her  continuing  to  receive  attentions  from  a  partv  objectionable  to  them. 

When  thei-e  is  a  light  snow  there  may  be  seen  at  the  point  of  the  ledge  the  likeness  of  a  face  that 
has  been  called  the  "Witch  of  the  Woods." 


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ITIITI|TTri1liailtllIlllllkU|ll|n|ll|l||ll|ll|l||rr|ll|l{tll|ll|l{|(,|ii|,<|i||||||]|'|||N,,,|n|l\|li|<l|1l||||l|||||M|lliH|HI<l|Hil!|ll|M|ll|M|»|»|N|ll|"|ll|l^ 


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I'li.iii.i^iritdHitiii 


THE  f^ESERVOIR, 


(^^  SYSTEM  of  water  works  to  supply  the  villa<fe  with  pure  water  has  been  put  in  this  year  at  a 
^p^  cost  of  about  $So,ooo,  under  the  personal  supervision  of  Engineer  F.  L.  Fuller  of  Boston.  A 
well  was  dug  near  West  Main  Street  by  Contractor  F.  E.  Shaw  of  Valley  Falls,  R.  I.,  supplying 
620,000  gallons  of  water  daily  in  the  dry  season.  The  water  is  forced  by  a  Deane  steam  pump,  having 
a  capacit}'  of  1,500,000  gallons  in  twenty  four  hours,  to  the  reservoir,  capable  of  holding  a  million  and 
a  half  gallons  and  situated  nearly  a  mile  from  the  village  on  Church  Street,  which  was  built  bv 
F.  A.  Snow  of  Providence.  R.  I.,  employing  about  sixty  men  five  months  in  the  work.  There  are 
nearly  seven  miles  of  pipe,  with  fifty  hydrants  for  fire  purposes. 

The  building  at  the  pumping  station  is  handsome  and  convenient,  built  by  Aldrich  &  Hills  of  this 
town.  The  Water  Commissioners,  under  whose  direction  the  whole  work  has  been  done,  were 
C.  C.  Hitchcock,  E.  H.  Guild  and  T.  C.  Gleason. 


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A'  A 


THE  R06K  HOUSE. 


^gjITUATED  about  two  miles  from  Ware,  on  the  road  to  West  Brookfield,  at  what  is  known  as 
(^£  the  summit,  or  narrows,  is  what  is  called  The  Rock  House  :  a  vast  pile  of  overhanging  rocks 
with  others  in  h-ont  of  them.  It  is  a  fine  place  for  a  summer  picnic,  the  tables  may  be  arranged 
under  trees  near  by  or  in  tiie  shadows  of  the  great  rocks,  which  in  case  of  a  sudden  shower  ali'ord 
complete  shelter  however  severe  the  storm  may  be. 

On  the  way  to  this  place  one  of  the  finest  views  of  the  Ware  River  Vallev  may  be  obtained  : 
it  is  said  by  some  who  have  travelled  extensively  among  the  scenery  of  the  Old  World  to  be  equal  to 
anything  tiiey  had  ever  seen. 


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rim 


llllllllllllll      Vri't     I     I, :■     I     I     Thill 


B      I      I      I      E 


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■    ■■■■■■■11    ■    ■.'■■:i« 


WAf^E  0ENTEK. 


(TC^EVENTY  years  ago  Ware  Center  was  not  onl^-  the  center  in  name,  but  was  the  center  of  the 
(3o     business  ot'  the  town  as  well.     There  is  now  but  little  business  except  farming  carried  on  there. 

In  1750  it  was  voted  to  build  the  first  meeting  house  in  town  but  there  is  no  record  when  it  was 
finished,  if  ever.  The  present  church  was  built  in>  1800  and  was  moved  to  its  present  site  and  re- 
modeled in  1843. 

The  large  two-storv  house  near  the  left  of  the  picture  was  the  Old  Tavern  where  the  selectmen 
used  to  repair  after  town  meeting  to  count  the  votes. 


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